Late Night in the Phog

Part basketball exhibition, part variety show, Late Night in the Phog marks the beginning of the powerhouse KU basketball season—and all the fandemonium that entails. Fans camp out the night before, with lines extending all the way around the block from Allen Fieldhouse as they eagerly await their chance to see the new players in action as well as performances from artists like 2 Chainz. Yep. Worth it.

We were asked to entertain and amp up these hardcore fans as they waited in line and highlight adidas' partnership with KU. After building a custom-designed adidas and KU court in front of Allen Fieldhouse, we jam-packed it with engaging basketball programming throughout the day, highlighting a shoe built for the next wave of superstar: the new adidas Pro Bounce (in a special KU colorway).

Fans had a variety of ways to engage and experience adidas product.

A large Creator Station gave fans an opportunity to showcase their KU pride and rep the three stripes with a variety of different designs. Members of the KU faithful were given complete freedom to design their shirts as they saw fit. In addition, fans collaborated together to inspire unique designs and featured. The line to experience the creator station was full throughout the entirety and we ran out after giving out 550 tees.

On the court, fans could compete in various basketball challenges for a chance to win a pair of adidas Pro Bounce and other prizes. We also had a product trial area where fans could try on Pro Bounce and compete in drills to win them, seeing how they stack up against former KU athletes like Andrew Wiggins. The court was always packed with frenzied fans waiting for their chance in the spotlight. All told, we had 3x over our target participation goal and probably set the world record for the largest game of Knockout.

The event shattered all expectations from both adidas and KU and continues the legacy of their strong partnership. Our event is now considered to be a foundation of future Late Night in the Phog activations.